Mufti Menk – Severe Hardship for a Believer

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah, Allah, he was
happy.
		

			We praise Allah subhanho wa Taala we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam, his household, his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless them.
		

			And we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless every one of us and to grant us goodness and
acceptance, forgive our shortcomings. and grant us the loftiest strengths and paradise my brothers,
my sisters,
		

			we are believers, when we say we are believers, we actually believe in the unseen, that which we
haven't seen, we believe in it.
		

			You and I know that we have forefathers, father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc, to a certain
point, you will know them. beyond that point, you will not know them. But you do believe that they
exist. Because even though you haven't seen them, the signs are known that these people lived at a
certain time. That's how I came to be.
		

			So in a nutshell,
		

			we all believe as human beings, to a certain extent, in that which we haven't seen. But the evidence
of it may vary from person to person within their understanding of the term evidence. So some people
will say, I do believe that I had great, great, great grandfather's, even though I haven't seen them
because there's a sign of it, what's the sign? Well, they will give you so many different signs, and
they will tell you so many different things. But we believe that it goes way beyond that we can
actually pinpoint certain facts, that sometimes the evidence may not be acceptable to others, but
it's acceptable to us because we are believers, the minute the Prophet peace be upon him, Jesus made
		

			peace be upon him, Moses May peace be upon him, the other prophets of Allah subhanho wa Taala May
peace be upon them, when they told us we had the first of our species known as Adam, may peace be on
him, created by Allah, we believe this, to the degree that there is not a blemish of doubt in our
belief. It is in the Quran, it is in the previous scriptures, and it is everywhere. So panela people
later on came and started doubting or creating doubt, etc. That's up to them. We are still
believers, we still believe that we have a maker who made he created. And he chose the method of
creation, absolutely. for himself, by himself.
		

			My brothers, my sisters, this creator created us for a purpose, we have to constantly ask ourselves,
what's the purpose that he made us? Why, when we keep asking ourselves will have different responses
within our minds, our hearts, our belief will lead us to understanding that this life of ours needs
to be dedicated and focused, dedicated and focused for the one who made us because it's temporary.
It's so short, people are dying, at what age at 10, at 20, at 30. Just after childbirth, at 50. Some
of them are dying a little bit older than some they have a good death and some have a terrible
death. Nothing you will I will do we'll stop that it's the degree of the Almighty. So all I need to
		

			do rather than get depressed when I see others die, is to learn a lesson from that death. That's
what is common sense. Common sense. If you see so many people going, you need to tell yourself that
i'm also going and you need to keep telling yourself it's nothing gloomy. No. Is it something that
you need to stop your life because of nor is it something that should stress you to the degree that
you suffer with OCD or whatever else it may be, but rather, it should help you to prepare for that
day. When is that day? If I were to ask you, when are you dying? What's the true answer? What's the
true answer? I don't know. I don't know. I could drop right now. It has happened. So if you are in
		

			preparation for the day, you're going to meet with Allah. It would mean all the time. You believe
this could be the moment. That's what it is. So Allah says Allah Tambo
		

			Muslims
		

			don't die, except in the condition of submission.
		

			What does it mean don't die like I know when I'm going to die? No, he's telling you always remain in
the condition of submission so that the day you die, you will be submitted. Now we are weak, we are
human, we like things here. Allah says, hang on, all these things are made beautiful. Think about
him. When you came onto this earth, you had nothing. When you leave, you're going to have nothing.
Don't get too deeply involved. Don't dig in too deep because when you dig too deep, that's the same
hole you're going to be buried in. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us an understanding, you can
enjoy what is in this world unconditioned that it does not hinder the main focus. Imagine you are
		

			traveling from here to Johannesburg by road. And suddenly you stop at a place called Ruby. And you
find the beautiful scenery and the view and you take out your food and you're having a picnic and
you forget where you're going. And you enjoy it so much and you start living there and staying
there. What happened? Are you ever going to get to Johannesburg? Never no chance you forgotten about
Johannesburg? That's Joburg Suhana. La. We're talking of gentlemen. So Pamela, a lot of us we know
we're aiming agenda, but we find the small end in our lives. What did we do to that end, we sat we
laid our picnic, we enjoyed the food so much. We went for seconds and thirds. We liked the view. We
		

			went for another one and the third one and we forgot the focus a lot time came there was no Salah,
time to do things. There was nothing because we didn't prepare for what was the reality? Because we
were distracted. So Allah tells us all mankind Don't be distracted. Yeah, are you?
		

			One
		

			of you who believe or people,
		

			be conscious of your up who made you? And be conscious of the day? What is that day that day? When
you want to be on your own? Nobody will help you. You have to give your own accounts. What did you
do? You got to say I did this, I did that I did this. I did that. And I didn't do this. And I didn't
do that. And Allah says falada, one
		

			to
		

			one.
		

			Don't let this worldly life deceive you. Don't let this dunya this worldly life deceive you. And
don't let the big deceiver deceive you Who is the big decision? The devil? He promises you small
things, very short lived things as though they will be eternal adultery, how long does it last? And
the regret is forever. But he makes you think this is going to be a nice thing. So it's a moment a
little thing.
		

			Perhaps few minutes, perhaps a short time, perhaps the excitement of a fling for a period or a
season or a year or two. And after that what happens? You come crashing when you steal the
excitement of pinching. It lasts five minutes a I got $2,000 how I pinched it from somebody's
wallet.
		

			Hey, we are lucky we have bond notes no bigger than a five right? But at the same time to be honest
with you. If someone did steal Allah subhanho wa Taala will definitely let them face the punishment
of what they did. You can't take something that belonged to someone else, no matter how.
		

			How, how much it seems to be so delicious. stopzilla it's not. If you were to pinch, let joy will be
so short lived, you will be worried your entire life. What if I'm going to get caught? He has an
anti corruption coming? What if this happens? What if that happens? People are worried? Why are they
worried? Because they're crooks? That's the reason. You're not a crook. You're not worried? You're a
cook. You worry. That's what happens. Right? The point I'm raising has nothing to do with the actual
robbery it's got to do with the fact that when we do for Allah and prepare for the Hereafter, we
will not regret the day when we meet with Allah because the troubles of this dunya are so small
		

			compared to the trouble that would come on the in the hereafter in this world what's the worst that
could happen to you? Not much, perhaps a little bit of a punishment here and they may be the worst
case scenario a life sentence life sentence. And what you're still sitting breathing, eating
conditions will be tough. But I tell you, if you are to struggle in the Hereafter, that is the
worst. So if we keep on asking ourselves, why did we come here we'll come to the response the answer
		

			Your nature, naturally uncontaminated, you'll start thinking people came into the world they lived
for a while they went to some of them died poor, some of them died, which some of them died
powerful. Some of them died famous, they all died, they all had to go after a while. Nobody
remembers your name, I can ask you,
		

			your father's great grandfather, what was his name? Anyone in this machine knows your father's great
grandfather's name, you're lucky, perhaps the older people might know a little bit. But the rest of
us, you don't even know his name. And that's your blood lineage. Imagine who's gonna know your name,
your own grandchildren, great grandchildren, perhaps it will stop at your children's grandchildren
or great grandchildren, some way they won't even know you existed. And today, I'm a big deal. I'm a
man, I'm gonna steam this, I'm gonna do that. I'm going to cook this one I'm going to make that
one's life difficult. I'm gonna fix that one. Forget about fixing that one. You won't be able to fix
		

			yourself when you've decomposed in your own grave. You can't fix yourself, Why? It's gone. It's
history. Who are you? So Allah says, our lamea will
		

			fall upon a human.
		

			For Eva who
		

			ob does not see how insignificant he was at one stage, he was a mere droplet. And now he's come up,
and he wants to argue and fight like he's the big deal. Unless there's nothing you're going to go
back to where you came from. What law he those who don't believe that this world is a test are
deceived, they are deceived, they don't know what they're talking about. It's a test, do good deeds,
behave yourself, be the best person, Allah guarantees you contentment, he doesn't guarantee you
billions and billions, because you don't need that. If you have water, you have drink, you have a
little bit of food, you have some form of a you know, to cover yourself a little shelter to stay no
		

			matter how it looks, you have got enough to survive.
		

			Now I come to this point I want to raise today.
		

			All of our complaints today in this country, Zimbabwe where we don't have electricity, we don't have
water, we don't have a lot of things. We don't have a lot of foodstuffs, and bread is missing. And
people can't afford things. And really, life is tough. I promise you, all our complaints are
connected to that which is beyond mere necessity. But the problem is, because it's not on the level
we're used to. That's the reason why we are complaining. And we are struggling and we as we claim to
be suffering. But suffering is a word that is connected to to what your brain connects it to. There
are people who never ever had electricity in the whole world. They've never had it ever, ever, in
		

			many cities and villages carrying the same country never had electricity has their lives changed.
They're still happy and excited. They have nothing to complain about. The problem is you got it. Now
you don't or it comes a little bit now you can't survive. Why? Because you want to survive on your
level of survival. You're not prepared to adjust. It's a switch in the brain. If you tune yourself,
we're not going to have electricity you will be an excited person. Water.
		

			Water from a tap it's a luxury which we got accustomed to. You might say yeah, well you know
modernization, this modernization, go and live in the village for a while. Go and choose your
village and stay there. They are so happy when they find water in the river. They are excited
because there's water but they won't walk kilometers. They fill the bucket on their heads and they
came back they were happy super because their brains were accustomed to this for us when the river
is dry. Or there's a problem but for for for you and I we live in the cities. How can you ever have
a tap without water? I tell you what, stop thinking that way the water is not coming. Did you hear
		

			that? Let's go and make a plan. It's not coming. Stop thinking about the electricity it's not
coming. I'm going to try to train you to think it's a switching the brain. If you are accustomed to
it you enjoy life you make the most of what you've got. Do you have an avocado? Yes you do. Do you
have a little bit of perhaps something else to eat with it? Whatever is there whatever you are
surviving unless I gave you the necessity but you when you're whining you complaining you're
stressed, you're depressed. You don't know what to do what not to do unless I gave you fertile land
in your yard. If you had planted a few tomatoes, they would have grown but you were lazy. You didn't
		

			think of that you just clicked around doing things.
		

			on your own. We're not prepared. You know why we are accustomed to life of a standard. If we don't
have it we will say Allah has given us nothing. But Allah gave you and I materialistic things to a
certain extent beyond what he gave the loved one
		

			He's and some of his messages too, in fact, all of them. None of them had water running from a tap,
not one of them.
		

			None of the companions of the Prophet SAW someone who was the best to create this list, some of them
after the prophets of Allah subhanho wa Taala. They never had electricity. They never had water from
a tap. They never had bread the way we have it today. They never had the luxuries, a car, a plane, a
bicycle, they didn't have these things. But what type of life did they live? They were so happy and
excited. They think aloud. morning, afternoon, evening night, late night and early early in the
morning again. They think della did they have clothing like you and I are not at all. with us. We've
got the latest but we complaining. Let's stop complaining my brothers and sisters. Allah never ever
		

			does anything to a believer except that which is best for the believer. The best if not even better,
the best. Only when you do bad deeds with your own hands, then you taste some of the costs that
comes in your direction. If you are living to be a reasonable decent, good person thanking Allah
constantly praising Allah fulfilling your ibadah and you're fulfilling what Allah subhanho wa Taala
has asked you for to fulfill. I promise you my brothers and sisters, in a hadith of sohaib Missy
Nana Rumi robiola Muslim. He says the prophet SAW Selim said
		

			he says, you know, a true believer in the faith face the issues the matters of a true believer.
Amazing, amazing, always amazing. Never in a bad situation Why?
		

			I definitely am remote, many for a number of hula, hula hoops. Because everything, every issue,
every method that happens to a true believer, he believes in the control of Allah, the destiny that
Allah has chosen, he believes in the goodness that comes from Allah. So it's only good for him,
there is never a bad thing that can happen to you or believe when Allah is with you, even if it took
away so many things from you, even if people around you have died. And even if you are suffering
with a health problem, Allah says it's not bad for you. You're a beaver, how can you think it's bad
for you, your main aim is paradise. It is the hereafter in this world, all those 100% of those who
		

			are searching for the way they want things, things don't happen the way they want it. Show me the
richest, the most powerful, the most popular, show me them that way, whatever they want has
happened. Not one, not even one, you will be surprised. Sometimes the wealthier you are, the less
you can even sleep because you have so many worries, you have more money than your whole generations
would need. But you still want more. So you don't know how on earth, you're going to get that more
so your sleep is not lost because you don't have but because you want more and you're thinking of
how to get it sleep is gone. Imagine what type of sleep is gone. So the only thing that can fill the
		

			heart of a believer is when a believer is content with what Allah has chosen for him or her and you
will be happy. Allah chose this for you. Allah chose your sickness, Allah chose your condition,
Allah chose for us, we won't have electricity, make a plan, forget about it. We make another plan.
We think Alhamdulillah get used to it. water from the pockets. What's wrong with that? You know, you
might be laughing at me and saying, Look at this man, there is no option. You have one of two
things. Either you get depressed about it, or you enjoy it. What are you going to do? You're a
believer, enjoy it, enjoy it. It's a thrill. You got clear crystal water.
		

			But it only comes a little bit of it. You got to fill the bucket, somewhere down the corner, go make
an effort. People are excited they happen. I know it may not be any is not a standard that we are
accustomed to. But I'm trying to tell you as a believer, there's no point in getting depressed over
what is going on around you when you think it's negative. But Allah says it can never be negative
for you. It's impossible for a true believer to face negativity, the financial crunch, the crisis,
whatever else has come. It's not that you think it's bad. Look at it from a different angle. It's
good for you. Allah brought you close to him, and was helping you to prepare for the hereafter to
		

			show you that which is two grand stories, and the rags to riches stories allow us to show that are
you thankful. So the hottie says for a number of hula hula hoops, a true believer, everything that
happens to him or her own his affairs. All his matters or hers are good for her. What can you
believe in a man who chose for you your life Allah who chose for you the problems Allah. This is an
exam life is an examination. That's what I believe that's what you have to believe. That's what
makes us believe
		

			It's a test who chooses the questions of the test? You are the examiner. Come on, come on, come on.
It's the examiner. He's going to tell you I'm taking your money away. I'm taking your job away. I'm
taking your health away. I'm taking your family members away. Right? Answer the question.
		

			You have to look at the question and say Firstly, Alhamdulillah Allah, Allah, you are my, my
Creator, maker, you are in charge. Only what you say shall happen. I surrender to you. Never mind.
This is a test. You helped me through it. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala makes your life easy.
		

			We we know we are here for a test. We want to choose the questions that we to use to corruption
Allah forgive us, when we choose the questions as well. We want the answers to when it doesn't come
our way we got a problem now, Allah subhanho wa Taala, forgive us. Law says no, I will choose I'm
going to tell you what I'm going to affect you by everything that human beings consider hardship is
an opportunity to earn an opportunity to get closer to Allah when someone loses a loved one and they
bear Subhan. Allah says because of your service, I'm going to give you a gentleman. Wow, wasn't it a
blessing, they had to die anyway. They when they passed away, there was nothing that was going to
		

			stop them, they were going to die. Now how you reacted to the death is how you, you know it would
determine how you fared in that examination. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy.
		

			While a Celica in
		

			this type of goodness, it's not for anyone, no one will taste it, no one will have it unless you're
a true believer, when you believe in Allah, you know, he is in full control not have not gotten a
three quarter full control. Allah isn't
		

			accurate. You know, something's out of my hand, I told you earlier, when Allah has given you a
little bit of capacity to do things and you do them wrong, you taste a little bit of what you did is
your fault. But when Allah hasn't given you the capacity for so many things, and he's doing things
here and there, you you are totally out of the picture in terms of capacity completely. Then Allah
says, just surrender to this. It's called Live. It's your destiny, we have kept it for you.
		

			So if you're a true believer, you have the perk, what's the purpose of contentment? I'm happy. If
you're not happy, you're not content. There's something wrong with your belief, even though you're
going through big problems. No, look at basics are you surviving survival?
		

			couldn't go to eat at that restaurant, you know, it's like a it's like a day of judgment for some
people because they couldn't have five star food, who said five star, go and eat something
basically.
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala is when the doctor tells you not to eat, you won't eat because you want your
body to be fit. When a lot takes the food away a little bit and says, Wait, I don't want to eat
right now you're going to eat once a day, then suddenly it's like the world came to an end. So
Panama, cut it down. Maybe Allah has something bigger. He definitely has far bigger than what the
doctor had. May Allah subhanho wa Taala strengthen us. I tell you, it's in the Hadith. The prophet
SAW Selim says, in a samba to Salah Shakira, Karna Pharaoh La,
		

			la,
		

			la La simple, is beautiful. We learned so many times. When goodness comes to a believer. Goodness
means when what you want happens to you what you want it comes in your direction, then you are
thankful a true believer is thankful. Thankful. How do you show gratitude to Allah, you become
humble. So if Allah blesses you as well, authority, power, whatever else, you know, so many other
blessings. If you want to know that you're the true believer, it will humble you bring you down to
earth make you courteous to people, your character becomes lovely, you really greet people like they
are the biggest VIPs yet you know, Allah has given you much more than all of it. But the way you
		

			make people feel, also determines how close you are to Allah, because those are the creatures of
Allah He created around you. Purposely it's part of your test. Give people importance, the person
who least expects you to be good to them, very good to them, they'll get a shock. It's priceless.
It's worth more than giving them $1,000 when in Zimbabwe, the guy might say will treat me rough, but
give me the back. Allah forgive us.
		

			But you know what I mean? So, if you're a true believer, goodness, will humble you bring you down.
When you don't have proper belief. What happens? The minute you get something, you've got a chip on
the shoulder. I don't greet these people anymore. Why are they only earning 20? grand, nearly 200
million? No way. Don't ever look at people like that. Tomorrow, the tables could turn. Anything can
happen today. Right now. Things can change. Allah says we gave you when you leave the earth. You're
going to leave blank the way you came.
		

			You're gonna have a few pieces of cloth, you fortunate because why? We just out of respect, but when
you came in, you had nothing. So Panama.
		

			And the last part of the Hadith says, when things don't go the way you want them to their patients,
thank Allah, what type of patience or beautiful patience. when things don't go my way I'm looking
for a job, I didn't get it. I was fired from here I got a health matter. And this person was bad to
me that person this happened, you know what, humble yourself, same effect, come to Allah cola to
him. One after the other day will come when you will smile, such a broad smile, that you won't
believe how Allah has blessed him. But the condition is, you need to persevere, don't become lazy,
persevere, work hard, and have full trust in Allah. Allah alone will solve your problems, nobody
		

			else your friends will run away. Your friends will everybody else will run away. Yesterday someone
sent me a message a beautiful message. It says true friends are not those
		

			who make your problems disappear.
		

			But true friends are those who don't disappear when you have problems. Whoa, did you hear that?
Who's your true friend, Allah is the only one who won't disappear. In fact, your link with him
becomes stronger when you have problems. Amazing the rest of the dunia the world when they know you
owe someone a big amount of money they are gone first and out into thin air. And if they come to
your rescue, they are not genuine. They want to eat you more than those who you owe the money.
That's how the that's the nature of this world. They will be very few exceptions in this world. But
Allah He won't let you down. tend to him, pray to Him and persevere. Allah gives you the energy I
		

			want to end on this point. There's no point in Islam, to pray without making the effort when Allah
gave you the power.
		

			Allah says, I gave you your hands, I gave you a feat I gave you the ability go look for the job, go
everywhere. Do whatever you have to go and try and keep trying. And you know what, one day alone
open the doors 20 doors were closing doesn't mean someone did magic on you to block your path. No
one did magic. Allah is in control. He is the one who didn't give you because he knows the day you
get what we want you to get is going to be bigger than all of these people. There's a story I don't
have the time to tell you. But the gist of it is a man who didn't get the job. And he searched and
hunted the day he decided to open his own thing. He became so big within a few years that he started
		

			supplying all those where he went to ask for jobs and just telling you a story. So when Allah opens
your doors, you work hard. You think Allah you have hope in Allah, there is zero chance that you
will lose your contentment because your contentment is connected to surrendering to the decree of
Allah with happiness, Oh Allah, you wanted me like this, I am like this is going to make me stronger
with you or like help me. Oh Allah grant money, goodness, may Allah bless all of us. The topic that
I chose today was connected to the hardship that we are facing in this country at the moment. And I
pray that the few words that I have said would actually boost us to surrender to the decree of
		

			Allah, we have no problems. We only have problems connected to our brains, our minds, it's a switch
in the head. Like I told you, there are people across the world, even in this country who have lived
all their lives without water without electricity without bread. We were just used to it. That's why
we feel depressed. They never ever had it. They are excited worshipers of Allah. Let's adjust our
lives. Allah azza wa jal